The Reason It Was Me
by Skylark Evanson
Summary: Why was it Lance sent with Ilana? He's the best fighter, but they're opposite minds. Maybe because he was someone more before Ilana became Galaluna's princess. *Last chapter is just an A/N for you loyal readers out there.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Lance's dad gave me a few thoughts last night. For being a scientist, he wasn't dressed right… hmmm… maybe he was someone else back on Galaluna. Before Ilana was princess.**

**Disclaimer: own nothing except my idea. Which probably isn't right anyways. Ilana's POV**

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Everyday, I couldn't help but look at Lance's hardened features and cold expression and compare it to my own ideas and life and experiences and think that he never should've been sent with me. Galaluna has (or had, maybe) plenty of other warriors that were worthy of being sent off with me instead of him and all his doom and gloom emotions.

My trust in my father was too great to outright question his royal authority, but I did have the right to know exactly why it was Lance who had been sent with me. I wanted to know the reason why it was him.

Him in all his dark glory to be sent with the bright, cheerful princess of Galaluna to protect her for what could range from days to years to something even longer. A lifetime was even a possibility. It was one I hoped wouldn't come, but the world was a wide range of opportunities. I could've lasted a lifetime on such a beautiful planet. Just maybe not with Lance following and protecting me the whole time.

At that moment, his dark, shadowy figure came in through the door way, his ebony hair and gothic clothes looking all too out of place in my room full of pillows and brightness. "Ilana, breakfast." And those were the only words that passed his lips until he left again with the silence of a ghost.

Sure, he was easily the best fighter on Galaluna, but there was no way I could stand his darkness any longer. It pained me to not know more about him.

Rising from the luxurious comforts of my warm and welcoming bed, I smoothed out my hair with one hand and pulled a robe on over my pajamas before going down the hall and knocking on his door, seeing that it was shut tight. And that usually meant he was lurking inside, either working out or just sitting there and staring at the clouds as they shifted past the open sky.

It took a few seconds but the door opened. He was still wearing his shirt, meaning he hadn't been working out. "What?" he asked, voice a bit snappier than he had probably intended. "I got you up for breakfast because Octus told me to, not so that you could come bother me."

"Who are you?"

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**A/N: gonna be a story, full out. Not sure how long though. Chapters will get longer as I get further along. This is just an intro sort of. Just review and I'll get back to it faster!**

**~Sky**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This has gotten addictive. Hmm… My idea for this is really exploding inside of my head… weird, I guess. Lance's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sym-Bionic Titan.**

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"What?" I asked, staring at her with wide eyes, not quite as much in shock as I was just disbelieving what I had heard come from her.

Had she lost her mind? She knew who I was. She didn't know much, but she knew enough. Ilana knew my name and that was more than I could say for most people. And she knew what I was capable of. That was easily enough to say that she knew who I was. Generally, at least.

"Lance, I've been thinking and-"

"Yes, because your thinking just fixes everything," I groaned, gripping the door a little harder as my knuckles turned an icy white. I was beginning to close it on her until her hand stopped it from shutting fully. Ilana pushed back, determination ringing in her eyes. I watched her, almost sadly. "Please let me go. I don't want to talk right now."

Honestly, I just didn't want to face the truth, let alone know and acknowledge it. I didn't want to know who I was. I didn't want to know anything more than what I knew. Going back was harder. Explaining it was near impossible. Especially to someone like Ilana. She was so...

She pressed harder, not willing to give up so easily quite yet. "Lance," she growled, throwing all her weight against the door.

For barely a second, it threw me off balance. And I wasn't about to fight her back. It was my job to be protecting her no matter what. She wasn't supposed to be questioning me. That second was long enough for her to create a wide enough opening to squeeze her tiny body through the tiny crack I had originally left. And before I knew what was going on, she was in my room, standing there with her arms folded across her chest and eyes stern with me. "Lance, don't make me turn this into an order."

"An order is a physical command," I reminded her, giving her a glare in the form of lethal daggers if they had been real.

"Speaking is a physical thing," she said, voice strong and unwavering as she gave me a cold hard stare. "Lance, I don't want to have to turn this into an order." Her threat was forceful and prepared, but the words were empty, the only thing behind them being a lost emotion.

"What was the question?" I countered, a hiss on the edge of my voice. I stood there parallel to her, my hands shoved in my pockets and my glare directed at her.

Finally, her question rang out clear, only bringing on the lapse of pain as the real truth set in under those words. "Why were you sent to protect me instead of someone else?"

There was a long pause and I almost did tell her. But Octus saved me.

"Are you two coming down for breakfast or not?"

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**A/N: This will get better. I'm holding you out on the suspense. So review and I will write faster.**

**~Sky**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm eager to get to the heart of this plot… Ilana's POV on this one.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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I decided to corner him at his locker again. I wasn't giving up on this one without a fight. If he wasn't going to answer me, I was going to bring the battle to him.

"Lance."

He spun as if on command, his eyes wide as he saw me. "Ilana, we're in school. You can't even wait to harass me until we get home?" He leaned against the locker after slamming it shut. "Please, Ilana, can you just let it go?" His dark eyes were pleading desperately. "Please."

"I will not drop it until you tell me, Lance. Now I know there's a secret. Now I have to know."

"Ilana..."

"Lance, my father sent you with me for a reason," I began, keeping my voice low so our classmates didn't overhear us. "I trust my father's judgment, but I'm not sure I can trust you if you keep secrets from me and if you keep lying to me."

"I'm not lying," he defended feverishly. He stood up straight again, staring down at me coldly from his towering height. "I won't lie to you. I just won't tell you the truth. You don't need to know. It's not important."

My voice turned to a fierce whisper. And I hated doing this to him, but I had to. "If it wasn't important, you would tell me. As princess of Galaluna, I command you to tell me why my father sent you of all people to keep me safe."

Overhead, the bell howled it's long loud cry. Lance glared at me for a long moment. "After school," he said, voice hard and cold like ice. "I'll tell you then."

With that said, he stalked off, a single book in hand. His shoulders were hunched over and his dark hair loomed over his face, casting shadows across his dark eyes and pale cheeks.

I was left standing there, staring after him. He was keeping things from me. Things I deserved to know. Things I had to know. Things I craved to know. Because something wasn't right about Lance.

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**A/N: another chapter. No worries, good revelations coming soon.**

**~Sky**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: well, since we'll see more with this week's episode, I'm thinking another chapter is in need here. Because this week will most likely show that my theory here was wrong in the first place, but it'd be pretty cool to see this actually happen.**

**Disclaimer: I own no part of Sym-Bionic Titan. Just a big fan. This one is in the third-person POV.**

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"Ilana," came the voice over her watch in the middle of standing in the locker room, zipping up her jacket, "we have a problem." And then Lance's deep voice cut out abruptly after he had taken a breath as if to say more.

She blinked at the watch for a few seconds before grabbing her back and kicking her gym locker shut before leaving just as the bell rang, not bothering to fix up or brush out her hair in the slightest.

Gym was her last class. She had been waiting to hear his reasons for coming with her to Earth all day, the impatience eating away at her like a pack of ravenous wolves in a cage with a rabbit only a few inches away, just out of reach. Ilana had been waiting. And she wanted to hear him tell her, that was why she had changed so fast from her gym uniform into her clothes of the day. She had to meet him out at the car so that Octus, or Newton, could drive them home. She wanted to be the first one there, knowing Newton would take longer and that Lance was usually there first anyways.

"I'm coming," she breathed into the watch that remained poised on her wrist, unsure if Lance could hear her or not on the other end. She flew through the zigzagging halls like a heat-trained missile, her path directed for the parking lot and to the lame van that they had to ride around in.

The blonde found Lance's body crumpled beside the car, his breathing shallow and his eyes wide open but glazed over. She dropped to her knees next to him, a small crowd already gathering around where he had fallen.

With tears welling in her eyes, she shook his fragile body, feeling how the heat was evaporating from his skin. "Come on, Lance," she breathed, shaking him and finding him wincing with every swift move she pushed upon his limp form. "Just take my hand." Ilana put her own hand in his and felt a slight squeeze as he took it.

Carefully, she pulled him up from the cold, blacktopped ground and managed to get the door to the large, bulky van open. Ilana got him into the backseat and sitting upright, Lance still holding his side and a grimace upon his face as if he was sitting there as a rabid raccoon clawed at his insides.

Newton pushed through the crowd and, like a robot, he sat in the front seat, started the engine, and without another question at Ilana in the backseat holding the dark corporal as he moaned quietly, leaning against her with a gaze of pure agony in his blackened eyes.

"Rest, Lance," said Ilana, cradling him in her arms. "We'll get you home."

He melted into her warm grasp, feeling his pains ebbing away at her touch. He hated feeling this way. He hated knowing that the second he got over… whatever this way, Ilana would be right back on his tail, after every detail of his past that he didn't want to relive a second time.

The darkness in his eyes clouded over thicker than ever as the unconsciousness possessed his thoughts, dragging them into the black abyss of his mind as he slept softly, body still held in Ilana's arms. Lance couldn't help but enjoy the way she held him.

"I'll check his vitals as soon as we can get him home," began Newton, thinking logically as always. "I didn't detect anything coming through the riff gate. This can't be anything Galalunan. I would have some sort of records on it if it was." He pulled around the corner, the van quickly approaching the street that their house was located on.

Ilana wasn't listening. She used one hand to stroke Lance's cheek as he winced again, face twisting as if he were plagued with nightmares. "Just get better, Lance," she wished under her breath, staring down at him while hoping the tears that resided in her eyes didn't streak down her cheeks.

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**A/N: not longer. Next one… should be. And I'm just getting to the heart of the plot. May have another chapter up on Friday before the new episode. With enough reviews, I'll get it done even sooner. So review!**

**~Sky**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: so I'm playing 'Beat the Clock' right now with Sym-Bionic Titan. The episode tonight will probably break this whole idea into a billion pieces, but I still think that this is totally plausible. The nightmare episode inspired it. Now time to get to the heart of this plot. Thanks for reading, as always!**

**Disclaimer: I own my idea only. Characters aren't mine in any way. Lance's POV**

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I felt the world around me coming into focus as I opened my eyes to blinding moonlight washing over my body. I blinked a few times, trying to get my bearings and trying to find the nearest clock to check how long I had been out for.

The clock on my bedside table read off three in the morning. I rubbed my eyes, wiping the sleep from them. I winced as I moved to get to the glass of water next to my bed, finding myself exhausted and thirsty even though I had slept for about a solid twelve hours. My limbs were tight with being still for so long and I put a hand to my chest, checking to make sure all the pain was gone now.

It was.

Relief hit me as I gulped down a bit of water, swinging my legs over the side of the bed to be sure that I was still in one piece and that all my body parts were working alright. I stretched out for a moment and let my eyes zero in on the darkness, finding Octus's form looming in the black of night.

And it hit that I had made them both worry for me. I hated myself for that. I hated it too much.

With a wince, I shifted and stood myself up, one arm bracing me against the wall so that I couldn't fall over without having something to catch myself on. Silence. That's what was lurking in the room. It was deathly quiet. I stared out the window for a long moment, watching the stars twinkle above before slowly lowering myself back down on my bed and taking a few deep breaths, unsure of what had happened in the school parking lot nearly twelve hours ago. I just… fell.

"Lance."

Octus's voice had brought me out of my thoughts as I sifted through them for some kind of information or truth. I let my eyes bolt up to see his robotic body coming towards me, not bothering to put up a holographic disguise this late. No one would see him. "Your vitals were fine when we got you home. There are no signs of anything dangerous in your system. What happened back at school?"

"Great question," I snorted, running my fingers through my hair as a hand remained pressed to my forehead. "I don't remember anything except for calling for Ilana…" I winced, the memory of falling against the pavement and my body convulsing on the blacktopped parking lot still ringing loud and clear like the school's bell in the middle of a cool crisp morning. "It just hurt. Like something was wrong."

"Nothing's wrong with you," Octus told me. If he had eyes, they would've been glaring.

I eyed him maliciously. "I figured as much. Since I'm still alive and my vitals are perfectly in check." I moved the hand from my forehead over to reach for more water.

"This doesn't have anything to do with telling Ilana about-"

"Nothing at all," I hissed through gritted teeth, taking a few sips of the liquid, feeling it run down my throat like ice as a knot formed in my stomach. I'd still have to tell Ilana either way. An order was an order. Commands were what I was trained to follow. Even the most naïve ones. "I'll have to tell her anyways. Why would I have delayed it?" My voice was coming out in a snarl now as fury raced through my veins.

With my anger blazing, Octus turned and began to head for the door, his motions seeming so human for a robot. "I know that you won't tell her anyways," he said, clearly knowing something that apparently I didn't. "I might as well-"

I was already pinned against the door before I knew what was going on. I locked it, keeping him in and anyone else out. "You won't do anything," I growled, feeling absolutely feral in the heat of the moment. Rage welled up in my chest at the thought of him telling her one of my most guarded secrets. "We all have our own skeletons," told him, trying to tone myself down. "I can keep my own."

"You'd lie to her?" asked Octus. I really wished he were in a human form so I could read his features to see what he was thinking and what his features betrayed.

"No," I defended angrily. "I just want to tell her myself." I let myself simmer down for a few long moments before continuing. "It's a stupid order anyways. Why does she need to know everything?"

Octus's arm reached out for the doorknob, but I slapped his hand away. "She's the princess of Galaluna."

"So?" I hissed. "We both know that's hardly true at this point." I defended the door as if my life depended on it. I didn't want him getting out to tell Ilana my secrets. They were mine and mine alone. He didn't need to be spilling information all over the place.

"Because the planet's probably gone?" he questioned.

I narrowed my eyes, feeling the moonlight slowly fading from the window as the dawn touched the air and covered the grass with welcoming dew. "Because I'm the rightful heir to the throne of Galaluna, not Ilana."

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**A/N: dramatic. Review and tell me if you want to see more! Tonight's episode will probably prove me wrong, but I like this theory…**

**~Sky**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I needed to write another thing for this. Been about a week since the last update. Ilana's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

I opened one eye to the bright sunlight of morning as the rays shone in through the window that held the most beautiful view I could ever imagine. Well, for one on Earth at least.

The only thing different about this morning from every other morning was that Lance was hanging over me like a shadow. His black eyes were darker than normal. His lips were straightened into a hardened line across his face. "Ilana," he said, "we need to talk." His voice was dark and cold, almost icy with the tone of it. "Now."

I pulled the blankets up to my chest, trying to keep the warmth from the bed and the good night's sleep I had spread across me. And I was wearing a particularly low top for it being autumn. Lance didn't need to see anything. "What is it?" I asked, fearing that it could've been the riff gate and some new monster that had come in from the Mutraddi.

His features hardened and darkened further. And I knew it had nothing to do with the Mutraddi. He could deal with anything, anything except for what he was about to tell me.

"Ilana," he started gently, "do you remember who my father was?"

I nodded, my memories swiftly recalling the funeral where I had first seen him. That little boy was only a shell of himself now: tall, dark, fierce, loyal, brave, willing, fearless. "Yes, he was a brilliant Galalunan scientist," I said.

His eyes clouded over for a long moment.

"He invented the riff gate," I said, maybe hoping that was the right answer despite it being generally the same one as the first. "And the Manus armor." I bit my lip, wondering how wrong I really was. But I had a feeling he'd tell me.

"My father was... he was the king of Galaluna." Lance stared at me, awaiting my reaction.

"Don't lie to me," I snapped at him. He reeled as I'd struck my something. "My father is king of Galaluna." Rage boiled up in my fire-filled veins. I felt my grip on the blanket that was clutched to my chest tighten. "How could you even say such a thing? Your father is dead!"

Just after I had said it, I instantly regretted the words passing over my lips. I wished I could take it all back, but it was too late now. I couldn't do a thing about what had already been done. "Lance, I-"

He had already left the room, the door slamming closed behind him as if he had never been there in the first place. I was left alone to wish with all my heart I could take those simple words back. Because what if he was telling the truth?

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**A/N: review, thank you.**

**~Sky**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I guess another chapter is necessary. Since I still have people reading this. Right? Ilana's POV**

**Disclaimer: I own the idea, but nothing else.**

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"Lance, I believe you."

Total lie. I didn't believe him at all. There was no way he was the prince of Galaluna. No way in a million billion years. But was I going to tell him that? No. He deserved to hold out; a little bit longer at least.

"Just leave me alone." Any response he did give me was usually one word. Four words was something any desperate girl could bank on willingly.

"Please, Lance, you need to tell me what is going on here. You're the prince of Galaluna and I'm only the princess because your father died before you were old enough to take the crown?" I shook my head and put my fingers to my temple. "Really, that sounds ridiculous."

I didn't believe him. My father was rightfully the king of Galaluna. ...wasn't he?

Doubt was clouding my thoughts and vision, leaving me totally blank and lost.

"I am the heir to the throne of Galaluna." His voice was rough, unwavering. "I was sent to protect you." His eyes finally found mine. They were cold as ice and serious as ever. "But I'm also next in line, since my dad..." He gave me another long stare, eyes darkening as he looked away again. "I didn't exactly choose what life I was given, Ilana."

I sucked in a deep breath and sank into the chair beside him. "Do you know how crazy all of this sounds to me?"

"It sounded crazy when I found out too." He spooned some cereal into his mouth, sitting there hunched over as he did every morning. "But I believed it only because it was your father telling me."

My eyes narrowed. "And he didn't tell me?"

"Why should he?" Lance let out another long sigh. "You want to be queen. I won't stop you. I'm not exactly fond of my position."

"Has Octus known?" I was now growing desperate for answers. My whole life had been a lie. Was I a princess or not? Was I really of royal blood or just a girl who got lucky enough to be the daughter of the guy who was made the next king?

"So who gets the throne once my dad is gone?" I asked, just trying to clarify this. I wanted to know exactly what I was hearing.

"Ilana..." His tone held a bit of a warning, a faint growl touching the end of his voice as he stood up and dumped his bowl in the sink from finishing off his breakfast.

Anger swelled in my chest. My eyes lit up with blackened fury that raged through my veins like a wildfire. "It's you, isn't it?"

"Born with it," he said, turning on me, his face grave as our eyes met again. "Like I said, I didn't choose to be prince. It comes." His toned muscles were showing through his tight black shirt. "Don't worry your pretty little head, princess," he sneered, finally sick of my questioning. "I won't be in the way of you getting the crown too much longer." His eyes were hateful as he turned and began to head back up to his room. But I caught the last few words as he disappeared. "I'm giving it all up as soon as we get back to Galaluna."

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**A/N: review if you want it to continue. I have better things to be working on, but I really like this plot.**

**~Sky**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: After this and maybe one more story, I'm gone for Thanksgiving. So if you're looking for me for a few days, I'm not gonna be around.**

**Disclaimer: I own my idea and that's all. Lance's POV.**

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I was born to be a prince. Ilana was lucky she was living the life she had. I had been stuck in a battle camp that trained me to be as hard as nails and to have a soul as cold as ice. It taught me revenge and pain and the true meaning of torture.

What did Ilana get? Tea parties and politics. Sure, a girl like her was brilliant beyond the span of anyone's knowledge, but she had the life of luxury that any kid would beg for.

And who rightfully deserved it? Me. I did. It was mine by blood and by right and by law.

Who wanted it? Not me. Not anymore.

I was a fighter. I was meant to head battles and to control my men in arms against the Mutraddi. I was meant to be the biggest military leader that the people of Galaluna had ever seen.

And I got the pampered life. I guess it was a good thing my father handed over the throne to the king. If he could take care of the kingdom, why would I even need to step in? I was a military based person. He was a natural born king, not by blood, but by skill.

I'd let him have it.

But Ilana...

Who wanted the throne? She did. Why? Because she realized she couldn't have it.

One thing I realized while looking at the world of high school and teenagers: girls wanted what they couldn't have. I had heard tidbits that girls wanted me because they couldn't have me. Parents wouldn't approve and I just wouldn't care for them. I was wrong and they wanted that.

Same with Ilana. She's a girl. The throne is me. She can't have it so she wants it more. Why does she want it? Because she can't have it.

That's what's irritating. She thinks the world could revolve around her if she tried hard enough. The world isn't about helping others. It's about fighting the war of survival.

She was raised on tea parties and fluffy pillows. I was raised to control armor and battle fields.

She was born hardly more than a peasant. I was born with royal blood.

Where's the fair part of this deal? How did I manage to get the worst end of everything that was thrown my way?

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**A/N: I still like this plot. Just thought Lance needed a thoughtful chapter. Happy Turkey Day, everyone! Review!**

**~Sky**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Ah, time to get to work. This plot is gonna take off really soon, guys. We're just delving into the details for now…**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sym-Bionic Titan. Ilana's POV.**

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"Octus," I breathed, approaching him from behind. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He turned, his eyes finding me and zeroing in on my face. "Lance told you?" He seemed genuinely shocked that I had found out. Had he not expected me to learn about it eventually? Had they figured they'd leave me in the dark this whole time?

I nodded, folding my arms across my chest. I was still furious with it all. How could people lead me on like that? Did they just not expect Lance to live long enough?

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" I hissed through gritted teeth, feeling my anger growing and boiling inside of me like a pot that was just about to bubble over.

"Ilana, you are going to take over anyways," said Octus quietly, knowing that sharing this sort of information with me in the school hallways wasn't exactly the best idea. "Why can you not just trust Lance and I to take care of everything? You should stop worrying."

My eyes squeezed shut. "Lance says he's next in line," I breathed, trying to control the rage that kept threatening to consume me. "How long were you all planning on lying to me?" Fury was rolling off of me in waves. And I was getting sick of holding it in.

"Lance is not going to use his position. We have all been lying to you to keep Galaluna safe." Octus seemed serious enough to me. "How do you think the Mutraddi plan on taking over Galaluna?"

"Killing me," I told him. We all knew it. So why was he asking? "Duh."

"No," said Octus, putting his head down as if disappointed in me. "Killing you would pass it to the next in line. Since you have no siblings, it would go back to Lance since he iss of the true royal bloodline. The head of the Mutraddi army would have to marry you to gain any control in the courts of Galaluna."

My heart froze in my chest. I tried to form words but none would come. I just turned to stone right under these revelations. It was like the real world was opening up before my very eyes. Had my whole life really been some sort of lie? "Wha... What?"

"Lance is protecting you." Octus pushed up his glasses in his Newton form. "By covering up the fact that he is the real heir, they're only going after you. If he is next in line, who is after him?"

Logic rang through me like a bell in the crisp morning. "Me?"

Octus nodded. Then his hand waved if off as if it were an annoying fly. "But that is beside the point. Here is why it is so important that Lance be the true power behind the crown of our home world: how do you get the throne from a male ruler?"

I ran through the rules of Galaluna and the throne and the line of royalty that followed the original king. "A fight..." My throat seemed to close up. "...to the death."

"Lance was trained so harshly so that he would survive it if anyone learned of the secrets of the crown." Octus's eyes were scrutinizing me. "He has not been given enough credit by any of his superiors because no one has quite figured it out yet. You are so suspicious of him and it is not helping Lance any."

I leaned against the locker. My bag was squished between me and the wall of metal. All this time, Lance had been learning and he had been protecting me. And I had been harassing him to no end. I owed him so much...

The bell cried out like a wounded bird. It put my senses on overdrive, but I didn't want to get to class. I wanted to find Lance and apologize for bothering him so much.

"I will walk you to class," said Octus, taking my arm and tugging me along quietly through the crowded corridors. He and Lance were just protecting me. They hadn't been lying. They'd been saving my life. "And after school, I will tell you what's been going on behind closed doors all these years."

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**A/N: Now I've got an idea on how my theory could still work with the show… You wanna hear it? Wait for the next chapter… And leave a review!**

**~Sky**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I know I just updated this a few days ago, but I really wanted to keep my idea going before I forgot it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Sym-Bionic Titan. Ilana's POV.**

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"It went something like this," began Octus as we hid in the library later, Lance already left school after taking the car. He folded his hands as light filtered in from the large windows off to my right. He sat directly across from me, expression serious.

I leaned in, ready to listen. I wanted to hear this. I wanted to know what he was saying, what he was talking about, what had been going on in my kingdom (technically Lance's kingdom) without my knowledge.

"Thirty years ago, Lance's grandfather passed away when Lance's father was only eight-years-old. This created a small civil war for control of the throne since Lance's father truly had no interest in the throne and wasn't even close to being trained enough to take over the whole kingdom of Galaluna."

I quietly raised an eyebrow, watching him and listening intently. I wanted to learn everything I could. I wanted to be able to help Lance, to be able to just know him.

"Eventually, the people who wanted to dethrone the royal family succeeded enough to get your grandfather in the place of Lance's grandfather." His eyes glinted quietly. "That was how the power was switched from his family to yours.

"Back about ten years ago, Lance's father reminded the king about how much the king owed him for making the Manus armor to protect the planet and for the riff gate and all his hard work and somewhat included the fact that he was part of the true royal family. Before he vanished through the riff gate, he requested for Lance to be taken care of and eventually given the throne.

"It took a while for your father to get it settled with some other government officials. But he got it through. You can tell that Lance's military training was about the same as the preparations for royalty to take the crown. You would know if you had ever been to the academy he was sent to.

"It was arranged that Lance was to take over the throne just weeks before his father..." Octus seemed to take a moment to find the right word. Not finding one, he moved on. "Lance was then told by your father at the funeral that he was born to a royal family. And from there, it progressed to the military academy for training and he kept getting distracted by the army and the armor instead of the ulterior motives and focuses. He never wanted to be in control over anything. You of all people should know how much he loves a good fight."

I nodded, reminiscing about all the times when Lance had made a battle decision that had pretty much saved my life. And there were a lot of those moments. He was dangerous as an opponent and I never would've wanted to turn against him. He was such a dedicated kind of guy. "Yeah, I do know."

"But he learned faster than most. You could just ask anyone. They would tell you how easily he picked something up. Your father gave him just enough influences to let Lance learn. He's ready for the throne, but he doesn't want it. He's turning out just like his father."

I cocked my head to one side, raising an eyebrow curiously to ask what he meant.

A sigh escaped him. "He's learning what he love instead of what he needs to know. He's too involved militarily to want to have anything to do with being prince of Galaluna. He may have royal blood, but he doesn't have the training or the will-power to be able to do it all." Octus looked towards the massive window, his head swiveling slowly instead of truly moving like a normal human. "But he's still keeping his position just to keep you safe. It's still going to be a mission of military importance. That is what has been keeping him working on it and still trying to find a way to train for the crown."

"So I'm not getting the throne?" I asked, just double-checking it all. I just wanted to be sure that what I was hearing was right. Because I didn't exactly like it.

And Octus looked back to me, eyes scrunching in an almost glaring way. "No, Ilana, and it is clear that you have some sort of problem with that." He fixed his glasses and stared at me harder.

"Just a little," I huffed, feeling I could let all my anger out now that Lance wasn't around. "I've trained and prepared my whole life for the crown and now I'm not going to get it. And he gets it just because his dad asked! How unfair is that?"

"How unfair is it that he did not even get a chance to be king in the first place?" retorted Octus as if it were some sort of challenge.

I got the feeling he was on Lance's side with all this. "His dad gave it up, too bad for him."

"You're father gave it up to him. Is that not the same thing?"

I leaned forward, putting my forehead on my folded arms and my face to the desk. "Octus, really, you're making me angry. The crown should be mine. I should be the heir of Galaluna's royal throne." Rage flushed my cheeks. I just wanted to go home and get all this sorted out with my father.

"Ilana," said Octus, making me look up at him once more. "You have to realize what Lance and I are sacrificing to keep you safe. Do you understand how badly he wants to be on Galaluna, fighting a war? And I could be helping him instead of keeping you safe. Plus, Lance is being forced to keep the throne to keep you safe from marrying someone that you would hate and from death. We are only trying to help, but you aren't being very grateful." With that said, he stood up, his chair pushing backwards and the legs scraping loudly against the floor. "Try talking to Lance again. I'm pretty sure you upset him, Ilana."

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**A/N: May have been the longest chapter yet... Feel free to ask questions if you got lost somewhere along the line. And as always, REVIEW!**

**~Sky**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: So today's my last day to do anything. Unless by some miracle, we don't leave tomorrow the second I get home from school. No, I'm not on break yet. Finals today and tomorrow still. So I'll get as much done today as possible. Ilana's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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My main objective was to get home from school as fast as possible to talk to him. I had to talk with Lance. If he was still mad at me, I wanted to make it right. He was ruining his life to save mine. And I couldn't even imagine all the inner torment he was going through over his choices and his life. He wasn't even who he thought he was... But neither was I...

I bolted through the door. My eyes immediately found the staircase, focusing on nothing else. I'd he was anywhere, he'd be hiding upstairs or on the roof. Someplace where I wouldn't want to go looking for him. "Lance!" I called out, hoping to hear him at least acknowledge that we were home. He hadn't stayed with us for obvious reasons and I just wanted to know that he had gotten back safely. Just to know that he was safe.

Nothing. I didn't get a response, nothing but an empty echo.

It wasn't that I didn't trust him on his own or anything. I trusted him with my life, didn't I? Back when I thought he was protecting me, at least. And he was pretty capable of taking care of himself most of the time. Octus and I didn't have to watch him like a little kid, did we? No. He wasn't totally inept all the time. Well, except for when it came to being nice. Then he was always inept at everything.

"Lance!" I called again, a bit louder this time. And my echo came back louder. I didn't even hear the music pumping from his room. Nothing at all. Just empty silence.

Which made me worry.

Not that that wasn't normal. He was a dark, sullen kind of guy. I knew that. And he was probably sulking in his room or something. I wouldn't put it past Lance to just be hiding in his room. He never liked people much. Never was a social butterfly like the rest of the world.

"Lance!"

Still an echo. Nothing more.

I dropped my bag on the couch and began my way up the stairs, looking back over my shoulder to tell Octus that I was going to find Lance-

-when my eye caught the body of a Mutraddi creature laying dead on the floor in the middle of our living room, empty eyes gazing lifelessly out at the staircase where I stood as if it could see through my soul. My heart stopped for a long beat before resuming as I realized it was no longer breathing and no longer a threat to anyone. But it did mean that Octus and I had missed something. Something important.

"Octus!"

He trudged through the door. And his sensors must've picked it up immediately, unlike my own senses. His head swiveled to analyze the body in a matter of milliseconds. "Go check on Lance." That was his sole command to me, harsh and worrisome.

So it wasn't just me panicking about Lance's well-being.

I races up the stairs, legs moving as fast as they could. I darted down the hall and pushed open his door, not bothering to knock, as if it really mattered.

He was sitting there, staring at the floorboards, eyes clearly distracted, like his mind was somewhere else. He wasn't even shirtless. It was clear evidence he hadn't been working out. Just sitting there. Alone.

"Lance," I breathed, relief sweeping through my system like a tidal wave. I could finally drink in air again. I wouldn't have been able to bear the guilt if Lance had been hurt in a fight that we hadn't been there to help him with. "Lance, thank goodness you're safe..."

"I took care of them," he said, eyes never wavering.

"Lance, that doesn't matter," I said, moving quietly towards his bed before sitting down next to him. He didn't move. Didn't even look at me. "I'm so sorry that Octus and I weren't here to help you. I'm so sorry. I just had so many questions about what happened and why you're the prince and he told me what you're giving up for me and..." I felt tears welling up in my eyes as if it were really sinking in that I wasn't the princess of Galaluna anymore. Or that I never really was. "I'm sorry I doubted you, I'm sorry I questioned you, I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I'm so sorry." I put one hand to my cheek, finding it already wet as the moisture spilled over. Then I looked to him, feeling horribly weak inside. It was like he had taken all my confidence when he had taken my position in life. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"I took care of them."

Then I noticed his voice wasn't right. Then I noticed that he hadn't moved. That he wasn't blinking. That he wasn't breathing. That he wasn't right.

And I waved my shaking hand right through the lifelike hologram of Lance that sat before me. And I stood up, guilt weighing down my heart. I walked quietly down the long stairs, feeling horrible.

Octus turned to look at me as if he could sense my presence, the same way he had sensed the dead creature inside our home.

I said, "Lance is gone."

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**A/N: drammmaaaaaaaa. So review and I'll get back to writing ASAP! Love y'all that are reviewing right now. Keep it up, please and thank you!**

**~Sky**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm not sure how much I have left to write for the night… I have to keep working before my brain just goes KAPOOT!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Lance's POV.**

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"Where is the princess?" came the fierce growl of a monster that held me captive. Spit flew into my face. I pretended not to care, despite how disgusted it really made me. I didn't cringe, nor did I move in the slightest. I kept eye contact, challenging it to let me fight.

The key to getting released is making them want a battle. When they want to fight, they want to fight fair. Untying me would be the only fair way to duel. And I already knew I could win. I beat one; how hard could it be to beat another one?

"Hidden from you," I told it, a little smirk playing with the corners of my lips. I was really enjoying this torment. Even if it hurt.

Another set of claws raked across my cheek, spewing blood everywhere across my shirtless body. I winced, unable to pretend like I couldn't feel that sharp, searing pain that suddenly burned through my flesh. I knew my defenses were wearing thin.

And to think, the one freaking day that Ilana and Octus didn't come back with me... The one freaking day...

Stupid Mutraddi.

"Where is she?" he hissed furiously. More spit. Right in my eye. Just. Perfect. "Tell me where you have her hidden, you worthless warrior. If you have no information to give, I'd be willing to kill you. We can continue the search again, if you'd prefer."

Over my shoulder, I caught the faint sound of a knife being pulled from a sheath.

Great. Of course, I'd die just when I want to live. For the first time in such a long time, I want to live. And I'm going to die. Peachy. Just peachy.

"Bring it on, Mutraddi."

The chair I was tied to was bashed against the wall, my bonds still tight and the chair still in one piece. So far, my chances of escaping looked slim. My head had bashed against the wall and I could feel the blood from the scrapes across my cheek pooling under my face. My skull was suddenly throbbing with horrible, fiery pain.

"Where is the princess?"

I remained silent, my chest heaving to drink in air. It hurt so bad. Why had I roped myself into this? Why hadn't I just said no the first time? Why me? Why me? Why hadn't I given the position to Ilana? I could've been fighting a war instead of protecting myself by protecting her and-

Another slash landed across my other cheek, leaving wounds stretched across my skin, red and raw from the fresh, crimson blood that seeped out and pooled around me, streaking down my face to make it look like I was crying blood.

"The princess!" it roared, eyes enflamed with rage and fury as I still didn't respond and as I still didn't cooperate. "Tell me where she is!"

"She's not the one you're supposed to be after," I hissed. And I thrashed against the bonds, begging for them to be loosened, even just a bit. All I needed was one finger or a hand and I would be out, I would be running, I would be freed.

I was pinned to the chair tighter and the chair was pinned to the wall fiercely. "What do you talk about, useless warrior?" spat the beast right in my face, eyes now ablaze with questions and anger.

"Let me go," I snarled. "Let me out and I'll fight you for your answers."

"No." I got smacked viciously across the face and was sent flying into a wall, still painfully strapped to the chair that held me in my bonds. My head throbbed harder and the agony surged through my system like someone had jabbed a syringe of pain right into my heart if that was even possible. "I come back for you later, worthless fighter."

I was plunged back into darkness, the door slamming shut as the monster left me all alone.

Questions raged through my head. Tell them and either lose my life or have Ilana compromised? Or keep going on like this and hope Ilana and Octus would find me? I was already getting in deeper and deeper and eventually, it would all be up to my neck and I'd be drowning in all of this.

Now it was all running down to decisions. Whatever I decided would filter down into Ilana's life and would determine the future of Galaluna.

That was the price I paid for keeping her safe. But it was worth every second of it.

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**A/N: Hmmm… Now I'm not sure where I'm going with this… Sooooo… I'll see what I can do. Review, please and thank you!**

**~Sky**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I'm killing myself over biology homework. It's driving me crazy. I can't even just relax, but I don't care. I'll write whether anyone else likes it or not.**

**Disclaimer: I own what I own, which is probably nothing. Ilana's POV.**

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"Where could he have gone?" I breathed, finding my chest heaving with the effort of drinking in air.

The room was starting to smell a bit with the body of the Mutraddi beast just lying there out in the open. All dead bodies have to go somewhere and I guess they rot. So it was just rotting on our floor and smelling all disgusting while Lance was probably dead out there somewhere.

"More like where could he have been taken?" corrected Octus, his eyes finding me. "This Mutraddi monster proves he hasn't run away. This breed runs in packs and there is only one corpse here. The only hard thing is that I cannot trace his communicator or his armor."

"You can't find him?" My voice was practically a squeak. Yeah, that's pathetic, but it was a squeak. My insides tied into knots when I realized what his words meant. "I mean, he's gone? You can't trace him? You can't figure out anything? What about heat scans? Or… satellite stuff?" I had to find some way to get him back. It was my fault he kept on getting in danger and I had to make up for it somehow. It was always my fault. And the reason it was him was because he was the real thing and I was just bait.

Well, the bait wasn't taken and the hook was. Darn it. The hook was the important part, too.

"No, Ilana," said Octus quietly, standing up and looking around the room. "I cannot trace Lance by any of those means."

I cussed quietly under my breath. I didn't want to cuss; it felt wrong. But I did. Because I was mad. I was mad that Lance was gone and I wasn't. I was mad that Lance had been taken while I was perfectly safe back in the comforts of home.

He had been through so much suffering because of me. He had gone through a living Hell to protect me and himself and I was in the posh rooms of the palace where he should've been living. And now he was the one still suffering.

Why did he have to keep suffering? Why not me? Why couldn't I have been home to protect him the way he had protected me this whole time?

"Can we do anything?" I asked weakly. "Anything?"

And Octus just shook his head sadly, eyes averting from mine so he didn't have to see me in my saddened state. I was miserable. It was all my fault. The reason he had been taken was me. I was always doing something wrong to mess him up. I was always doing something wrong. Why couldn't I do something right for once in my life?

"There's a hologram upstairs," I told him, my tone quiet and low as I could hardly find the heart to speak knowing that Lance was probably either being tortured or dead by now. "He just said 'I took care of it'. That's all."

"They would have had to get a clip from him. Editing something like a hologram to be precise would have taken hours." Octus moved towards the stairs and I just shuffled along behind him, nearly tripping over the hem of my long skirt. Maybe Lance had been right when he said my wardrobe was a little over the top of things. I kept on tripping on it all the time. "They must have recorded him saying it just to keep us occupied for longer in the analyzes of things."

"Analyzing what?"

"The device used, the signature of it, the motherboard, the features they did manage to record."

Something in Octus's voice made my heart lift a little bit. He sounded hopeful. Or at least that was what a hopeful robot sounded like, right? "And what does all that stuff mean?" I asked eagerly, catching up with him on the stairs. Maybe he knew how to get Lance back with all that crazy jazzy electronic stuff that I didn't know a thing about.

"If they made even the tiniest mistake anywhere along the line in recording Lance saying something, I will be able to catch it and we will be able to find Lance."

I would've danced up the stairs if it had been possible in that crazy skirt. But instead, I resorted to finishing the flight of stairs and skipping down the hallway to Lance's room where the hologram sat perched on his bed, looking almost exactly like the real thing.

But I wanted the real Lance back, not this phony one.

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**A/N: Hopeful? I hope you are ^.^ Reviews are greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading!**

**~Sky**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Wow, I'm kind of slow. So here's this.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

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Blood dripped from my face. I couldn't help but cough just to drink in the bit of air that I needed to survive. My chest ached and it felt like I was going to die. But I couldn't die. I had too much to live for yet. And I was the last hope. I was the only one who could protect her from what was rightfully mine.

"Tell me!" it screeched, making me wince as my head throbbed a little harder. "You useless warrior! Tell me where the princess of Galaluna is!"

I thrashed against my bonds. My wrists were already bleeding and the chains were somewhat slick with crimson. I was exhausted, starving, and morally beaten. If only my physique was as bad as my attitude…

"TELL ME!" The beast's clawed hands grabbed at my chair and tossed me against the opposite wall like he every hour for the past day or so. My only thoughts were that these guys weren't the brightest of the bunch in the Mutraddi arsenal.

Once more, my head bashed against the wall, sending pulsing pain ripping down my spine. And the chair still hadn't broken. More than anything, the chair was killing me because it wasn't smashed to bits yet. And the dang thing was wood. It was supposed to break, but yet it didn't bust into a million pieces. The strength of a stupid wooden chair… It was getting irritating.

The monster got all up into my face, staring at me with demonic red eyes that shone out of its dark muddy and stony body. "Where is the princess?" it snarled, voice low. A disgustingly brown hand touched my skin. Being shirtless was the dangerous thing then confronted with a monster that could easily shred my skin. "Tell me where she is or I'll kill you!"

I kept trying to break loose. I couldn't help but try and get out. For Ilana more than anyone. "Give me a good fight for this and maybe I'd tell you," I hissed right back, still making a pathetic attempt to get free. "Maybe I'll tell you who you should really be after."

As if by an invisible force, the chains were shattered. The monster's glowing scarlet eyes stared me down coldly.

I stood up, finding my legs weak and tense from being strapped to that chair for so long. The pain seared up from my legs and into the rest of my body. I held onto the chair for balance and managed to stretch out a little bit, my limbs regaining some sense of movement after being tied down for so long.

Soreness blazed through my muscles. I winced, trying to remember when nothing hurt this bad. That was back before my dad left. Before any of this chaos had ever happened. Nothing ever hurt back then. Nothing ever could. Because that was before pain had ever really sunk in for me.

Without any chance to get ready for a fair fight, the monster slammed into me, pinning my body to the wall and slamming fists into me. I found my face planted against cold stone and my naked chest freezing against the wall. Pain struck me like a bludgeon to the head. And dang, it hurt.

But pull through and I was free…

I managed to swing my legs out and aim a good kick at its knees. The sheer force of my blow was enough to get it off me for a few seconds. I had enough time to shove my fists in the beast's general direction, smashing my hands through the rock and mud that made its skin.

The rock shattered and I was being punched in the stomach. My body able to deal with some strong hits, but nothing like this monster would deliver. I was thrown against the wall, neck feeling like it snapped from the blow.

I barely managed to stand and charge at it again when I was clutched with one hand around my waist and the grip of the beast tightened. "You're a useless fighter," it snarled.

"Me," I breathed. "You don't want Ilana."

The door smashed open and light flooded in.

"I'm the one you want."

"Lance…" It was her voice that made my head turn. I caught sight of her heart broken eyes as the beast's grip tightened. "Lance… no…"

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**A/N: Whoops, Lance. Review!**

**~Sky**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Okay, so I'm getting virtually no reviews on this. A special thanks goes out to Neji and TenTen 4ever for reviewing on my last two chapters. And for being the only one with an account. If I get nothing more, I'm ending it here. 'cause I'm fine with leaving this be. Ilana's POV.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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My heart had sunk to my stomach. I felt like I was going to be sick, seeing him covered in so much of his own blood. It had dyed his skin crimson. I watched in horror as the beast's grip tightened more and Lance tried to swallow a cry of pain that barely managed to escape him.

Octus pushed past me, knowing what he was doing. He was already battering the beast when I came to my senses. I changed into my armor, the precious golden metal shielding me from harm. And I was immediately on the beast, beating on it as if my life depended on it. My fists contacted with it's face and I just kept throwing punches, hoping that by some miracle the word wouldn't get out that Lance really had control over Galaluna. We couldn't have that happening. It would be impossible to fix.

"Ilana," said Octus calmly. When I didn't stop hitting the monster, his voice grew a bit more fierce. "Ilana!"

I paused and looked over my shoulder to see Octus's robot frame staring at me. I figured that if he had had eyes they would've been glaring at me disapprovingly.

"You killed it," said Lance, a soft smile playing across his lips as he struggled to get up with the help of a hand from Octus. "I've been trying to get it every time it came in here and it wouldn't let me go."

I looked at the mutilated body below me and at the dirtied fists of my Corus armor. I sighed and clicked out of the armor, resuming my human form without the shield of gold protecting me. "Lance, I may have to kill you for giving that away."

His eyes narrowed. "So you save me and then you threaten me?" he asked, dark eyes narrowing at me disapprovingly.

"You're just lucky that there was only one of them and that no one else was told." I folded my arms across my chest and put my chin in the air, feeling upset that he had given away our greatest weapon against the Mutraddi so easily. "If there had been more, then we would be in trouble."

"Ilana," began Octus, voice already sounding negative.

Great. He sounded negative. And he said my name. I jinxed it, right?

"They're telepathic creatures. They can hear each other's thoughts no matter where in the universe they are."

Of course. Burst my bubble.

"So... they know?" asked Lance, the horror of what he'd done clearly written across his features as plain as day.

"They all know." Octus's head turned to face me and then Lance. "Lance is the main target now."

Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

"We can deal with this when we get home," breathed Lance, staring at me with self-disgust gleaming angrily in those dark eyes of his. "For now, let's just get out of here."

I could tell why he wanted to get out. Blood was splattered across the walls like paint and the shattered chair was just a reminder of how he had been held a prisoner to the Mutraddi monsters. The whole place just screamed torture chamber. I could tell why he had been so miserable. I was just amazed that he made it out alive.

"I'm with you on that one," I said, following him through the doorway, needing to desperately find an escape from this place of severe and fatal punishments.

We were a few steps out of the room when Lance paused. "Octus, can you trace my Manus armor?" he asked, turning to face me and our robot guardian. "They took it from me at the house."

"Down the hall," replied Octus, pointing down a long corridor that stretched from the main hub of the underground tunnel system that the beast had housed Lance in.

"Yeah, we saw the mess," I retorted as he began to head off in the direction Octus had indicated to find the watch that allowed him to activate the armor his father had created. "And did you know that they got a hologram of you?"

"They thought it would distract you. I knew it would just give you something to trace." Lance just let the corners of his lips crawl upward the slightest bit to give me a small grin before disappearing.

Octus reached up and tugged on the hatch that would let us out into the sunlight that shone down from the large yellow orb in the sky.

Lance returned, latching the watch onto his wrist. "Let's go," he said, looking at the watch with eyes brighter than I'd seen them in a long time. Then his gaze flitted to me. And Lance actually managed a smile. A real one. Suddenly, he didn't look so haunted. And he actually looked like he could fill the role of a prince.

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**A/N: Review or I'm ending it here. I need at least five to keep it rolling. Thanks for reading.**

**~Sky**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: This chapter is just to notify you all that this series will be continued, but under a different title. The sequel to "The Reason It Was Me" is called "Holding the Crown" since the original title no longer fit the plotline that I was going with. Anyways, just jump on over to read that and make sure you leave a review on the first chapter for me. Thanks! Love you all for reading!**

**~Sky**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Sorry to say that, due to lack of inspiration, I've deleted "Holding the Crown". I couldn't think of any new ideas, and with the series ending, no new ideas will come. But I will post one-shots when they come to mind, and I will start another new Titan story called "Laura" that I'm pretty sure most of you will like. Will probably be posted sometimes this week! So I'm sorry, but that's that. Thank you all for your reviews and thank you a million times over again for reading both of these stories for me. You're all amazing.**

**~Sky**


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